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Easy move

As First Niagara Bank completes its acquisition of the upstate New York branches of HSBC Bank, it has been consolidating certain locations that are within a mile of one another — one of the perks of "economies of scale."

There are nearly a dozen such consolidations taking place in the Capital Region.

There probably isn't a more shining example of why this is being done than on Wolf Road in Colonie. At 95 Wolf Road, at the intersection of Sand Creek Road, an HSBC branch sits next to a small First Niagara branch at 103 Wolf Road.

The First Niagara office will be shuttered at the close of business on May 18, a Friday, and its accounts will be transferred to the HSBC branch, which will get First Niagara signs. First Niagara customers can go right in the next morning at 9 a.m. to feel at home.

What recession?

The University at Albany's College of Nanoscale Science hasn't even completed its new $365 million expansion, but the economic benefits are already being realized.

The new building — known as NanoFab Xtension — will house the new Global 450 Consortium that will move the industry from using 300 millimeter silicon wafers to 450 millimeter wafers.

The NanoCollege expects 800 new hires at its Fuller Road complex for the program. But rather than waiting for the building to be complete, school spokesman Steve Janack says hiring is already under way.